Tominaga Sei, a teenaged girl who has assumed the male identity of Kamiya Seizaburo in order to join the Mibu-Roshi and avenge the deaths of her brother and father, has achieved her revenge. As volume three begins, her mentor and unrequited love, Okita Soji, is urging her to leave because she has accomplished her task, but Sei doesn't want to go and demands acceptance as a man. … [Read more...] about Kaze Hikaru 3-5 by Taeko Watanabe: A-
VIZ
One Piece 13-15 by Eiichiro Oda: B
Ah, shounen. It's always somewhat of a relief to take a break with some shounen because things tend to be blissfully uncomplicated. Encounter a bad guy? Fight him. When he whips out a backstory that suddenly makes him your ally? Befriend him. That’s the central idea behind these three volumes. We begin on Cactus Island in a town called Whiskey Peak, where the residents—who, … [Read more...] about One Piece 13-15 by Eiichiro Oda: B
RIN-NE 1 by Rumiko Takahashi: B+
From the back cover: As a child, Sakura Mamiya mysteriously disappeared in the woods behind her grandma's home. She returned whole and healthy, but since then she has had the power to see ghosts. Now a teenager, she just wishes the ghosts would leave her alone! At school, the desk next to Sakura's has been empty since the start of the school year. Then one day her always-absent … [Read more...] about RIN-NE 1 by Rumiko Takahashi: B+
Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box by Yoko Kamio: B
After Boys Over Flowers ended its serialization in 2003, Yoko Kamio published two follow-up stories—one about the wedding of Shizuka and another told from Rui’s perspective—that take place a year after the events of volume 36. These stories were released (along with some supplemental material) in 2008 as volume 37 of the series and immediately topped the shojo charts. VIZ has … [Read more...] about Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box by Yoko Kamio: B
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You 2 by Karuho Shiina: A-
In volume one of this charming series, Sawako Kuronuma learned that by sharing her true feelings she could clear up misunderstandings. When malicious rumors begin to circulate about two classmates who’ve been kind to her, with Sawako named as the source of the stories, she desperately wants to clear up the “misunderstanding,” too innocent to understand that the tales have been … [Read more...] about Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You 2 by Karuho Shiina: A-